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Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Jobs

It was about a month ago that I read a comment in the papers by a graduate. Apparently, he has been looking for a job without success for sometime. He commented that he can't be self-reliant, as the government expects him to be, because he cannot get a job.

I felt that there was something wrong with what he said. One can infer from what he said 2 points. Firstly, one cannot be self-reliant if one does not have an income or money. And secondly, to get an income, one must get a job.

I can generally agree with the first point. I mean, if you keep going home to mummy every time you run short of cash, I would hardly call that self-reliant.

I am troubled by the second point. He is a graduate, and as a consequence, have a good head on his shoulders, have access to resources, and be exposed to all the different opportunities and options that his country and the world have to offer.

And the only way he can think of to make money is to get a job. Or, at the very least, that is his attitude at an unconscious level.

I would have expected more from a graduate. He has had the best of what the country has to offer, and as such, I would have expected more ambition, more drive and more passion from him.

I would have expected him to want to be the CEO or founder of the next Fortune 500 company, or to invent the first human powered craft, or to eradicate poverty, or something. I expected him to dream.

Never did I expect him to just want to get a job.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi - The issue is in the Education System He has been conditioned for his future to lye in being employed - else why get a degrees, what other purpose does it serve?
Probably worthwhile looking at
http://www.conspiracyoftherich.com/

wanderer said...

I like Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Didn't quite understand the 2nd half of the book, but the first half contained really simple, yet powerful ideas.

This new online book should be a good read. In Chapter 3, he mentioned that he feels for those who face foreclosure, but does not think bailing them out is a good idea.

I have to totally agree.

Ann Janauer said...

As the daughter of a serious entrepreneur who with my siblings has come back to his business from a very good career in academia I can tell you that I do not believe everyone is cut out to trail blaze. People who cannot do that need to work for others who do have vision. Additionally many folks with vision are able to start up businesses without college degrees. SO I think it is unfair to expect someone with a college degree to be able to find his or her way without the possibility of a job just because they have a degree. It is not the degree that matters there. It is the innate ability to imagine a possibility and then make it happen.

wanderer said...

I do agree with you actually. In fact, many of my friends with diplomas are out there doing their own thing while the degree holders are working for the MNCs.

But when I read the comment, the graduate felt so small and helpless to me that I guess I had to rant. :)